Karoline Leavitt has acknowledged that rising gas prices hurt Republicans during the midterm elections. Her comments put the spotlight on an issue that Donald Trump struggled to address on the campaign trail.
Karoline Leavitt talks about gas prices amid midterm results
During an appearance on Fox News’ Special Report with Bret Baier, Leavitt acknowledged that rising fuel costs had put Republicans in a tougher political position. With voters confronting higher prices every time they filled up, the party had little room to dodge questions about the rising cost of everyday life.
“I do believe undeniably that the history and the environment was worsened by the prices at the pump,” Leavitt said. She added that filling up at gas stations served as a daily “reminder” to Americans of the economic indicators affecting their households (via The Daily Beast).
Leavitt also reminded viewers that the party holding the White House usually faces an uphill battle during midterm elections. “The reality is that nearly every incumbent president[‘s] party loses the midterm election,” she said. She also pointed out that there had been only three exceptions to this pattern over the past century.
To drive home her point, she cited Barack Obama’s 2010 midterm setback, when Democrats lost 63 House seats and six Senate seats. The former president has also been campaigning to rally support for Democrats during the current election cycle.
Gas prices continued to be a thorn in Trump’s side, especially after his October 24 rally in Perry, Georgia. The president revealed that his advisers had warned him against discussing the windfall profits oil companies were making as fuel costs soared. Trump claimed the companies were bringing in hundreds of billions, potentially even trillions, but seemed unfazed by the risk of upsetting voters struggling with higher gas bills. “I don’t give a damn. We’re making a freaking fortune,” Trump told the crowd.
